Ramona freshened herself up and changed into a summer dress. She was wiping down her hair and thinking back to the volleyball game. She was glad to find that she had some of her old vigor still intact. She smiled at the thought of the faces of the Khuranna.
Her husband had an utterly dumbstruck look on his face. This made her laugh out loud.
"What the hell is so funny?" an angry voice asked from behind her. Ramona jerked and turned behind to meet Krishna's angry gaze.
In the process water droplets from her hair struck his face.
"Sorry…..I didn't mean to do that" she apologized raising her hand to wipe his face.
Krishna caught her hand tightly and pushed it away.
"I was just trying to help" Ramona shouted nursing her bruised hand.
"I do not need your help…..I have made it clear to you what your place in my life is…..then why try all this?" Krishna asked in a mocking tone laced with anger.
"Try what" Ramona asked in a challenging manner.
"Don't act smart…..I know what all four of you are getting at…..you are trying the age old jealousy game….believe me it won't work on us….changing your dress won't change what we feel for you" Krishna replied smugly. He gave her once over look. Again he reluctantly admitted that she looked beautiful.
"That would be the reason why your brothers faces had been changing color like chameleons at the site of their wives…isn't it?" Ramona replied sarcastically.
Krishna glared at her unable to give an answer. Now it was Ramona's turn to look smug.
"Anyways what are you doing in my room?" Ramona asked.
"Rooms have been changed….badi bhabhi and other two are with their husbands….unfortunately I happen to be your so-called 'better-half' so I am stuck here with you……don't worry I have no interest in sleeping with you" Krishna replied lying down on the bed.
Ramona gave him an devil-may-care look.
She turned towards the mirror and combed her wet hair, applied light makeup and took her purse. She put on flats and went towards the door.
"Going with your boyfriend is it?" Krishna mocked.
"Yep….at least he has interest in me….unlike you my so-called 'better-half" she replied with equal mockery and walked out. Once out of the room she leaned on the wall and closed her eyes.
Badi Daadi tho bahuth umeed lekar ayi hain yaha.
Unke saare umeed tuthne wale hain she thought while a tear flowed down her eyes.
"You never listen to me do you" Abhay asked leaning beside her.
She opened her glassy eyes and smiled.
"Adath hain yaar" she replied wiping her tears.
"So your better half has landed in your room" Abhay asked.
"You guys knew it right….that they had landed here…..you played all this purposefully" she asked folding her arms.
"Kya kare yaar…..BD ko promise kiya hain…..badle mein unhone humaare setting pakki karne ki promise ki hain" he said giving his best smile.
"Who is the girl?" Ramona asked with a smirk.
"What girl?" Abhay asked acting innocent.
"Mr. Raichand…..I was not born yesterday….nor am I blind not to notice the way you looked at the pretty curly head who was standing just behind me in the pool party and who was walking on the beach yesterday with her friend but was looking at you throughout….she had a hard time taking her eyes off you, you know" Ramona said grinning.
Abhay gave her a sheepish look.
"Her name is Piya…..Piyali Dobrial….met her at my sisters….a fully filmy meeting you know…..she fell of a stool, landed squarely in my arms and we got lost in each others eyes…..she has beautiful chocolate brown eyes" Abhay said smiling fondly as he remembered his first encounter with Piya.
"Wha bhai wha! Sirf ek malachite aur asar ithna…..ab tho zaroor Miss. Dobrial se milna padega" Ramona said shaking her head.
"Chalo milatha hun……she will be with my sister today…..they are coming to a nearby area for shopping…..I will take you and the others there" Abhay said walking off to call others.
"Abhay…..I guess its better not to bother others……I mean they will want privacy now I guess" Ramona said looking a little lost. She wished her husband would care for her. Abhay understood this very well.
"All the more better…..its just you and me….my sweety" Abhay said taking her hand.
Ramona giggled shaking her head.
After an hour…….
They were at a shopping area near to the hotel. Ramona was chatting with Abhay's sister Anjali and his crush Piya.
Piya was constantly looking at Abhay turning away the instant he looked at her. She blushed crimson red at this moments which did not go unnoticed by Ramona and Anjali.
"Piya we can literally paint the town red with the red on your cheeks" Ramona teased making Piya flare further.
"Nothing like that Ramona…..I was just" Piya started.
"Blushing…..we can see that" Anjali added.
Piya looked mortified making the other two ladies laugh.
"What is the joke let us also in" Aman, Anjali's husband said.
"Dil ka maamla hain jaan" Anjie said giving him a peck on the cheek "Kyun Abhay" she asked her younger brother winking.
Abhay rolled his eyes at her and picked up his niece who was trying to get on the road.
"Everybody knows who my sweetheart is" Abhay said with a smile
Piya turned her head sharply to look at him. Anjali, Aman and Ramona looked confused.
"Me right maamu" Riya , Abhay's niece, said kissing him on the cheek.
"Right you are sweetheart" he said giving her a peck back and winking at the rest.
Piya looked visibly relieved. Ramona shook her head.
On the beach…….
Krishna looked at the slowly setting sun. He remembered the many beautiful sunsets he had shared with Shefali. He had loved just about everything about her. Her smile, her eyes, her voice.
He closed his eyes to get a recollection of her. He heard her sweet voice calling
"Krish"
He snapped open his eyes and turned to his left. His eyes widened in surprise.
"Shefali" he said.
She smiled at him.
"I am not dreaming am I?" he asked her.
"No you are not…..I am very much here" Shefali said.
"How are you?" she asked looking at him.
"Just the way you left me" he replied honestly.
"How is my friend" Shefali asked purposefully adding an edge of sadness to her voice.
"Happy, alive and smiling…..while I can hardly bare to live with her" Krishna replied with all the venom he held for his wife.
"How are you? How come you are here" he asked gently.
"I am fine…..I am here with Rahul on a vacation he is a wonderful husband you know….he loves me too much….so I am trying to love him back….be happy with him….he deserves that" Shefali replied turning her face.
Krishna clenched his fist. Each one of her words was a blow to him. Hearing her call someone else her husband was too much for him.
Shefali smirked inside seeing Krishna in pain. She knew all this would mean more trouble for Ramona. It had burned her up to see Ramona happy and smiling at the pool the other day. This lead her to think that everything must have been sorted out between Krishna and Ramona. This was not acceptable to Shefali. She would never allow Ramona to smile.
"Don't be too angry with her…..everything is changed now….you should move on with her you know" she said bringing a look of pain on her face. "Bye Krishna…..take care"
Krishna watched her walk away just like she walked away one and half years before.
In the evening…..
"You, the great Abhay Raichand, jo college mein ladkiyon ko yun gumatha tha….you are afraid to ask a girl out" Ramona asked disbelievingly, nearly spitting out her fruit cocktail.
Abhay smiled sheepishly at her.
"This is different….I mean I don't believe in love at first sight and all…..but well I really like her…..I am planning to get settled down you know" he replied.
"Good for you….but that shouldn't be stopping you from asking her out…..jaldhi karlo warna chidiya kahi ud na jaaye" Ramona said with a wink.
"I will practice with you " Abhay replied.
"Here everyone is watching" Ramona asked looking around the hotel club.
"So what they will think I am asking my girlfriend out" Abhay said.
He took her hand and went on his knees.
"Senorita….. the day I set my eyes on you I knew there is something special about you……but unfortunately you ran away before I could seek further about you…..so would you kindly please honor me by accompanying me to a dinner" Abhay asked looking at Ramona.
"Superb…..she will be in for sure" Ramona said smiling.
Krishna, who was till now watching all this from far came towards them. He was drinking. Seeing Shefali had opened up all his wounds and booze was the only remedy he found to heal them.
But right now he found a better medicine. Insulting Ramona. This would give him more relief than anything else.
"Bravo! Look at the pair" he said stopping besides Ramona and Abhay.
A few heads turned their way.
"Krishna you are mistaking us….I was just" Abhay began.
"One does not need to know rocket science to know what you were doing Mr. Raichand" Krishna replied grinning at Abhay.
"Krishna you are drunk" Ramona said "You are not in your senses"
"Yes I am…..because that is the only way I can quench the fire you started inside me" Krishna replied looking at her with hatred.
Ramona flinched slightly seeing the look in his eyes.
"Lets go" she said taking his hand. But he jerked away.
"Go? Go where Mrs. Ramona Khuranna…..or is it Raichand now since you are planning to run away with him" he asked.
"Krishna stop creating a scene" Abhay said firmly.
"I am not creating anything….and I will be perfectly happy if she runs away….do you know why" he asked out loud causing the whole club to look at them.
"I will be perfectly happy because I hate her…..I loathe her very much…..she is the bane of my existence…..my so- called wife who took away all my happiness……please madam please run away with him…..so that I will be left in peace" Krishna said. Ramona eyes were filled with tears now. The whole club was watching them. She wanted the ground to open up and swallow her.
"Oh there is something I should give you before you go" Krishna said coming close to her.
He raised his hand and gave Ramona a resounding slap. She landed on the bar table clutching her face. She looked utterly shocked now.
Abhay too was shocked. He had never thought Krishna would cross limits like this.
Krishna sneered at them and walked away.
Ramona closed her eyes for a second and before Abhay could stop her she ran away not thinking and not looking.
Nearing Midnight…..
He didn't know how long he had been standing in the rain. He didn't know when the rain started. The only thing he knew was the pain cutting through his heart. Pain at seeing the love of his life again. Pain at having to live with the reason behind his heartbreak. Some where he regretted raising his hand on Ramona. But the pain was more pronounced for Krishna.
She didn't know where she was going. Or in fact whether she was walking. All she knew was that her husband- the man who promised to be with her for seven lives, to protect her and look after her- had crossed all limits today. He had given her insult and injury today. But the insult was greater than injury.
Ramona was standing in the sprawling back-garden of the hotel, drenched from head to foot. The rain was masking her tears. She knew that she would fall severely sick if she stood in the rain any further. But she didn't care.
"Oh I am so happy" a sweet poisonous voice said from behind her.
Ramona snapped open her eyes in sudden shock. This voice had been away from her life for one and half years. But had efficiently kept her life in ruins.
She turned hoping against hoping she was dreaming. But her hopes always have a habit of shattering.
"You" she said shocked.
"Yes me darling…..how are you? Oh! What a question right……I wrote your life so it would be miserable off course" Shefali gloated.
"You met him today didn't you? You again poisoned his mind didn't you" Ramona asked indignantly.
"Off course I did……did you think I will allow to live in peace……I saw your enjoyment on the pool the other day…..that's when I decided I had to act…..the only thing I had to do is go to your fool of a husband who still believes that I loved him and say a few sweet words…..and bam! He is hating you……Krishna Khuranna is an A class idiot you know" Shefali said smirking.
"Don't you dare take his name from your vile mouth! Do you even realize whom you are insulting" Ramona shouted at her.
"A fool who fell for my charms…..a fool who never realized that I was only interested in his money not him….a fool" before she could go any further a tight slap landed on her face.
"One more insult against my husband and you will regret you were ever born" Ramona said in deadly voice her eyes spitting fire.
Shefali looked outraged.
"You are taking revenge from a man who loves you to his core for whom? For your father who was trying to destroy this nation by consorting with anti-socials……its good thing he got himself killed else you both would have destroyed more lives" Ramona stated with as much venom as she could muster.
"Don't you dare insult my dad" Shefali screamed.
"Insult him? Why would I? The whole nation knows his truth Shefali…..it was in every paper" Ramona shot back "You have blinded yourself by revenge……open your eyes at least now…..you have two men in your life who love you like anything…..you have already destroyed Krishna's life…..don't ruin Rahul's life" Ramona almost begged with Shefali.
"Rahul loves me" Shefali said smirking "Unlike your husband who hates you"
"I hope your husband continues to love you……because I know what it is like to live without love." Ramona said with a sad smile and walked off.
Shefali turned away to walk in and was frozen at the site of Krishna. He was standing beyond the green hedge that separated the hotel two areas. He had heard the whole conversation and was shell shocked.
"So you never loved me" he said in a deadly voice.
"Krishna I was just" Shefali began trying to cover up.
"I want only the truth Shefali" Krishna said moving an inch closer making Shefali back off.
"Give me the truth" he said grabbing her by her arm. Shefali didn't know how to cover up this blunder she was fumbling for words and trying to free herself from his iron grip.
This was enough to tell Krishna that she had lied to him all along. He had also seen the look on her face while she was screaming at Ramona.
He left her hand and backed away. Without saying another word he walked off. He was too hurt for words. She was even more hurt than he was. He had been slowly killing her all this time. But yet she had defended him today.
He walked for a while looking around for her in the rain which had increased in intensity.
Finally he found her standing near the sea. She was shivering from head to toe. He slowly walked towards her. He knew not what he will tell or even how he will face her.
He touched he bare shoulders. She slowly turned to face him. He could see that she was crying. The pain on her face was evident. But before he could utter a word she fainted in his arms.
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